Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made, or plans to make, to Her Majesty's Government on behalf of Scottish farmers who are concerned about the effect which the ban by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on carbofuran, carbosulphan and chlorfenvinphos chemicals will have on the vegetable growing and related sectors.

Ross Finnie: No representations have been made as the Scottish Executive was involved in the decision to undertake a review of anticholinesterase compounds. The review was announced in May 1998. Approval holders were invited to submit data in support of their products by September 1999. They chose not to submit data on products containing carbofuran and chlorfenvinphos and consequently existing approvals were revoked with effect from late 1999. The phase out period for the revoked products expires on 31 December 2001. Carbosulfan was supported by the approval holders and is under evaluation.

Autism

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-18479 by Malcolm Chisholm on 8 October 2001, what plans it has to initiate any data collection exercises in respect of the cost of caring for and educating people with an autistic spectrum disorder over their lifetime.

Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-18479 on 15 October 2001.

Cancer

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it spends annually on cancer research and how much is spent by charitable organisations on cancer research.

Malcolm Chisholm: Within the Scottish Executive Health Department, the Chief Scientist Office (CSO) has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health services and patient care within the NHS in Scotland and, as such, is the main departmental funder of NHS-related research.

  The CSO spends £8.4 million annually on cancer research. The amount spent by charitable organisations on cancer research in Scotland is not held centrally.

Cancer

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many scientists are employed in cancer research.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally.

Cancer

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether consideration has been given to matching funds provided by charities for cancer research.

Malcolm Chisholm: Cancer is a research priority and the Chief Scientist Office (CSO) is always willing to consider research partnership proposals from the voluntary sector.

  The Scottish Executive recognises and supports the work of charities and voluntary organisations, all of which have a shared purpose in common with us – to secure continuous improvements in outcomes, in treatment, care and quality of life for patients. CSO supports explicitly their research activities in the NHS through its Support Fund.

  The Scottish Executive and several large cancer research charities are partners in the recently formed National Cancer Research Institute that is exploring wide ranging collaborative activity.

Council Tax

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many domestic properties in the Highlands and Islands area currently receive a 50% discount on their council tax and what the total value of this discount is.

Peter Peacock: The following table shows the number of dwellings, at 3 September 2001, in the Highlands and Islands area subject to 50% discounts. The table also shows the council tax income that would be raised if no discounts applied.

  

 

Dwellings 
  

Additional Value 
  



Highland 
  

6,685 
  

£2,892,806 
  



Eilean Siar 
  

1,255 
  

£373,873 
  



Orkney 
  

706 
  

£203,999 
  



Shetland 
  

638 
  

£176,583 
  



Total 
  

9,284 
  

£3,647,260

Debt Management

Angus MacKay (Edinburgh South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce the outcome of the recent consultation on the report of the working group on a replacement for poinding and warrant sale, Striking the Balance: A New Approach to Debt Management , and how it intends to proceed.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have today placed a summary analysis of the results of the consultation process on the Scottish Executive website. Copies have also been sent to the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

  The consultation revealed very widespread support for the approach recommended by the group. Its main recommendations were ensuring the provision across Scotland of user-friendly advice and information for debtors; creating a statutory debt arrangement scheme; creating new incentives for debtors and creditors to reach negotiated settlements; reforming the enforcement procedure to improve debtor protection where legal action is necessary, but also providing for a final sanction against those who can pay their debts but won’t pay.

  In the Executive’s view, the group’s proposals are balanced and forward-looking, and would bring about a sea-change in the way that debt issues are handled in Scotland. That view was confirmed by the welcome for them expressed in the consultation responses. We therefore propose to implement the group’s recommendations. In particular, we will:

  Invest an additional £3 million a year in advice services across the country. This is over and above existing local money advice provision

  Produce a new information and advice pack to be issued by the courts whenever legal action for debt is proposed

  Consult on proposals for a debt arrangement scheme to allow people to pay debts in a managed way, without the threat of enforcement action, and

  Bring forward legislative proposals for a new, less intrusive court procedure, which will give debtors much greater protection, while still allowing appropriate action to be taken against the few who can but refuse to pay their debts.

  A more detailed announcement will be made in due course.

Drug Misuse

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to prevent young people becoming involved with drugs.

Dr Richard Simpson: The Executive’s first  Annual Report on Drug Misuse , published on 23 November, highlights a wide range of actions to help young people stay away from drugs. Some examples are:

  (a) in 2000-01, 97% of Scottish schools provided drug education;

  (b) the publication of the School Drug Safety Team’s Guidelines for the Management of Incidents of Drug Misuse, and the provision of £3 million over three years from 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2004 to implement the recommendations of the team’s second report;

  (c) the allocation of around £18 million over the same three-year period as above to support the Changing Children’s Services Fund, which includes the provision of prevention and treatment facilities for under 16s as a priority area;

  (d) through Scotland Against Drugs, we have supported many community-based projects designed to divert young people away from drug misuse, towards healthy and positive lifestyles, and

  (e) the Health Education Board for Scotland "Think About It" campaign, aimed at raising awareness of the risks of heroin to young people.

  The Annual Report also records progress on other aspects of our drug strategy, including enforcement work, which will help to stifle the availability of drugs to young people in Scotland. In addition, statutory and voluntary bodies across Scotland are engaged in local prevention initiatives.

Drug Misuse

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much was spent per head of population in the financial years 1999-2000 and 2000-01 on measures to prevent young people becoming involved with drugs in (a) Inverclyde and (b) throughout Scotland.

Dr Richard Simpson: We estimate that around £22.6 million per annum was spent on prevention throughout Scotland, in 1999-2000 and 2000-01. On a per head of population basis, this equates to £4.42 per person per annum. However, if the calculation is based on 0 to 16-year-olds, the figure rises to £21.27 per person.

  It is not possible to provide a breakdown of these figures for Inverclyde. To do so would require a specific study, which would be time-consuming and costly. Prevention work includes not only direct expenditure for tackling drug misuse, but also generic expenditure, where a proportion of service time is related to additions work covering drugs, alcohol and tobacco.

Elderly People

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to establish a register of pensioners’ groups.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with national pensioners’ organisations and there are no plans to establish a national register of pensioners’ groups.

Fireworks

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many injuries to (a) children and (b) adults were caused by fireworks in (i) October and (ii) November 2001 and what the cost of treating the injuries was to the NHS.

Malcolm Chisholm: Data on injuries caused by fireworks in October and November 2001 are currently being collated by the Department of Trade and Industry. Details are expected to be published in February or March 2002.

  Information on the cost of treating these injuries is not held centrally.

Fireworks

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many injuries to animals were caused by fireworks in (a) October and (b) November 2001.

Dr Richard Simpson: The information requested is not held centrally.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty’s Government regarding the lifting of the 20 day movement ban on cows and sheep imposed as a result of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.

Ross Finnie: The operation of the 20 day movement restriction in Scotland is a matter for the Scottish Executive and was introduced on veterinary advice as a necessary part of our foot-and-mouth disease control strategy. The Executive is currently reviewing this measure in consultation with the Scottish livestock industry interests.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why there was no time limit or inherent provision for review on the restrictions brought into force by the Foot and Mouth Disease Declaratory (Controlled Area) (Scotland) (No.3) Order 2001 (SSI 2001/111).

Ross Finnie: There is no requirement to put a time limit on the Foot and Mouth Disease Declaratory (Controlled Area) (Scotland) (No 3) Order. The restrictions have been reviewed regularly and a number of relaxations have been made. These relaxations have been made as soon as veterinary advice has indicated that it was safe to do so.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the 20 day rule on livestock movement has not lapsed despite Scotland being foot-and-mouth disease free.

Ross Finnie: This restriction is still necessary to ensure that any disease which may be latent and undetected in livestock, which could be introduced onto a holding by an animal movement will have time to incubate and be identified before any animal leaves that holding and thus greatly reduces the risk of the disease spreading to other farms.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the 20 day rule on livestock movement will lapse once Scotland ceases to be designated as a controlled area for foot-and-mouth disease purposes.

Ross Finnie: The current foot-and-mouth disease movement and other restrictions are under review. When Scotland ceases to be designated as a controlled area the existing movement control regime will be relaxed. However, veterinary advice is that some form of animal movement restriction will still be required in the short term. Discussions and negotiations are currently taking place with the industry on how this can be implemented and industry practices adapted.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the 20 day rule on livestock movement provided for in the Foot and Mouth Disease Order 1983 (SI 1983/1950) was extended to other orders currently in force.

Ross Finnie: The 20 day rule on livestock movements was one of a range of measures introduced to control the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. Whilst we continue to relax a number of measures the 20 day rule is one of the licence conditions under which animals are allowed to move between farms, and to and from markets, and continues to be an essential part of our successful disease control strategy.

Forestry

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many redundancies in Forest Enterprise Scotland are likely following the annual Harvesting and Marketing Review.

Allan Wilson: Consultations with staff and the trade unions on the timber harvesting review have not been concluded and it is therefore too soon to speculate on staffing implications.

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Bill

David McLetchie (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what new material will be available to the public as a result of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Bill in relation to (a) background information on police work and financing; (b) the background to local authority decisions; (c) the administration of the courts, including issues of staffing and resources; (d) information held by health trusts, for example on local performance and response times for ambulances; (e) the spending of health bodies; (f) league tables of school exam results, and (g) historical information on tenders for public contracts.

Mr Jim Wallace: It is not possible to predict what new information, including in relation to the matters listed, will be made available as a result of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Bill. Consideration of whether requested information would be disclosed will be on a case-by-case basis.

  The Bill will, if enacted, establish a statutory right of access to all information held by a wide range of Scottish public authorities. The right of access would be enforced by an independent Scottish Information Commissioner, who would consider appeals and have powers to order the disclosure of information. The Bill would replace the non-statutory Code of Practice on Scottish Executive Information.

Health

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the provision of the health-related services required by those with hearing deficiencies is adequate and what plans it has to improve such services.

Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-20636 on 18 December 2001. The answer outlines the scope of the wide-ranging review of audiology services currently under way.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome of the review of the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health being undertaken by two NHS managers was and, in particular, what staff movements the review has resulted in.

Malcolm Chisholm: The review of Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health (SCIEH) was conducted on behalf of the Common Services Agency. The review of the structure of SCIEH is on-going and is the subject of consultation with staff. Interim management arrangements have been made, including the appointment of an Interim General Manager, Acting Clinical Director and Human Resources Manager, who will work with existing staff within SCIEH to review current methods and ensure the recommendations in the review are put in place. The Director of SCIEH has relinquished his role in SCIEH and is currently on project work outwith the organisation.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to set up a rehabilitation service for people who have lost their hearing.

Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-20636 on 18 December 2001, which outlines the scope of the wide-ranging review of audiology services currently under way. This will include a review of liaison with other agencies and the services provided.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how people who have lost their hearing are given information and advice in relation to the availability of appropriate aids, adaptations and on-going support.

Malcolm Chisholm: Information and advice should be provided by the audiology clinic at the point of diagnosis.

  I also refer the member to the answers given to questions S1W-20691 and S1W-20636 today and 18 December respectively. The latter outlines the scope of the wide-ranging review of audiology services currently under way.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many vacancies there currently are in the NHS for hearing therapists.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many vacancies there currently are for audiologists.

Malcolm Chisholm: Information from ISD Scotland for 30 September 2000, which is the latest available, indicates that there were no consultant vacancies and no staff grade vacancies in the specialty of audiological medicine in NHSScotland. Vacancy data is collected for consultant and staff grades only.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of patients who have been prescribed Isotretinoin since 1999 suffer from mild or moderate acne.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not available.

Health

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to recommend that independent research be carried out to establish how Isotretinoin functions in the human body and to determine what chemically-induced changes in the brain and in other parts of the body arise from ingesting the drug.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) within the Scottish Executive Health Department has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health services and patient care within the NHS in Scotland.

  The CSO has no plans for research into Isotretinoin but would be pleased to consider research proposals, which would be subject to the usual peer and committee review.

Heritage

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is giving to New Lanark Conservation Trust in its bid to secure World Heritage Site status for New Lanark.

Mike Watson: The nomination for New Lanark was prepared by Historic Scotland and submitted to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) by the then First Minister for Scotland, the late Donald Dewar MSP, on behalf of the UK Government in June 2000. Official designation of New Lanark as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO took place in a meeting in Helsinki on 14 December 2001. The New Lanark Conservation Trust is responsible for the restoration, management and presentation of the village. The trust currently receives financial support annually from Historic Scotland, South Lanarkshire Council and Scottish Enterprise Lanarkshire.

Housing

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) outturn expenditure was in each year from 1992-93 to 2000-01 and (b) estimated outturn expenditure will be in each year from 2001-02 to 2003-04, where relevant shown in real terms, in respect of (i) the Scottish Homes/Communities Scotland approved development programme, (ii) Scottish Homes’ own stock capital investment, (iii) new town stock capital investment, (iv) housing revenue account borrowing consent, (v) housing revenue account permitted spend from receipts, (vi) non-housing revenue account spending, (vii) local authority spending on private sector repair and improvement grants, (viii) the rough sleepers initiative, (ix) the empty homes initiative, (x) new housing partnerships/ community ownership, (xi) housing support grant, (xii) warm deal/central heating installation programme/fuel poverty and (xiii) capital projects funded from revenue by local authorities.

Iain Gray: Where available, the information requested is set out in the following tables. The figures are all expressed in cash terms.

  


Year 
  

Scottish Homes/Communities Scotland approved 
  development programme 
  



£ million 
  



1992-93 
  

282.6 
  



1993-94 
  

306.6 
  



1994-95 
  

319.5 
  



1995-96 
  

325.0 
  



1996-97 
  

304.0 
  



1997-98 
  

210.3 
  



1998-99 
  

199.8 
  



1999-2000 
  

209.5 
  



2000-01 
  

215.8 
  



2001-02 
  

213.01




2002-03 
  

214.51




2003-04 
  

To be confirmed 
  



  Note:

  1. Estimates.

  


Year 
  

Scottish Homes own stock capital investment 
  



£ million 
  



1992-93 
  

75.3 
  



1993-94 
  

75.0 
  



1994-95 
  

61.7 
  



1995-96 
  

50.8 
  



1996-97 
  

44.5 
  



1997-98 
  

29.5 
  



1998-99 
  

23.9 
  



1999-2000 
  

19.5 
  



2000-01 
  

11.5 
  



2001-02 
  

5.41




2002-03 
  

2.01




2003-04 
  

To be confirmed 
  



  Note:

  1. Estimates.

  


Year 
  

New Town stock investment 
  



£ million 
  



1997-98 
  

7.31




1998-99 
  

14.51




1999-2000 
  

8.11




2000-01 
  

8.61




  Note:

  1. Estimates.

  


Year 
  

HRA capital allocations 
  



£ million 
  



1992-93 
  

128.9 
  



1993-94 
  

161.6 
  



1994-95 
  

174.6 
  



1995-96 
  

168.7 
  



1996-97 
  

171.0 
  



1997-98 
  

171.9 
  



1998-99 
  

174.6 
  



1999-2000 
  

154.6 
  



2000-01 
  

154.6 
  



2001-02 
  

176.51




  Note:

  1. Estimates.

  


Year 
  

HRA usable receipts 
  



£ million 
  



1992-93 
  

286.6 
  



1993-94 
  

279.4 
  



1994-95 
  

284.5 
  



1995-96 
  

238.3 
  



1996-97 
  

161.5 
  



1997-98 
  

69.1 
  



1998-99 
  

63.0 
  



1999-2000 
  

69.4 
  



2000-01 
  

70.0 
  



2001-02 
  

65.51




  Note:

  1. Estimates.

  


Year 
  

Non-HRA spending 
  



£ million 
  



1993-94 
  

116.7 
  



1994-95 
  

122.3 
  



1995-96 
  

113.6 
  



1996-97 
  

91.5 
  



1997-98 
  

56.7 
  



1998-99 
  

55.9 
  



1999-2000 
  

51.9 
  



2000-01 
  

48.1 
  



  The above figures include local authority private sector repair and improvement grants which are not separately disaggregated.

  


Year 
  

Rough Sleepers Initiative 
  


 

£ million 
  



1997-98 
  

2.1 
  



1998-99 
  

3.2 
  



1999-2000 
  

5.6 
  



2000-01 
  

10.0 
  



2001-02 
  

14.61




  Note:

  1. Estimates.

  


Year 
  

Empty Homes Initiative 
  



£ million 
  



1997-98 
  

2.0 
  



1998-99 
  

5.2 
  



1999-2000 
  

3.8 
  



2000-01 
  

4.9 
  



2001-02 
  

7.61




  Note:

  1. Estimates.

  


Year 
  

New Housing Partnerships –
community ownership 
  



£ million 
  



1997-98 
  

10.3 
  



1998-99 
  

29.7 
  



1999-2000 
  

35.4 
  



2000-01 
  

52.0 
  



2001-02 
  

100.51




2002-03 
  

93.51




2003-04 
  

117.41




  Note:

  1. Estimates.

  


Year 
  

Housing Support Grant 
  



£ million 
  



1992-93 
  

48.5 
  



1993-94 
  

35.1 
  



1994-95 
  

25.2 
  



1995-96 
  

22.4 
  



1996-97 
  

19.5 
  



1997-98 
  

15.6 
  



1998-99 
  

12.7 
  



1999-2000 
  

10.6 
  



2000-01 
  

9.6 
  



2001-02 
  

9.01




  Note:

  1. Estimates.

  


Year 
  

Warm Deal -- Central Heating Installation 
  Programme – Fuel Poverty 
  



£ million 
  



1999-2000 
  

3.0 
  



2000-01 
  

13.0 
  



2001-02 
  

33.51




2002-03 
  

37.51




2003-04 
  

47.51




  Note:

  1. Estimates.

  


Year 
  

Capital Financed from Revenue 
  



£ million 
  



1992-93 
  

14.6 
  



1993-94 
  

21.5 
  



1994-95 
  

24.7 
  



1995-96 
  

40.4 
  



1996-97 
  

22.8 
  



1997-98 
  

60.5 
  



1998-99 
  

87.3 
  



1999-2000 
  

106.8 
  



2000-01 
  

125.8 
  



2001-02 
  

115.81




  Note:

  1. Estimates.

Housing

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much private investment was attracted in real terms in each year from 1992-93 to 2000-01 by (a) housing associations or co-ops for rented housing, (b) housing associations or co-ops for low cost home ownership and (c) other housing providers grant-funded by Scottish Homes.

Iain Gray: The following table sets out, in 2000-01 real terms, the private finance committed to projects approved in each of the following years:

  


Year 
  

Housing associations or co-ops for rented 
  housing 
  

Housing associations or co-ops for low cost 
  home ownership 
  

Other housing providers grant-funded by 
  Communities Scotland 
  



£ million 
  

£ million 
  

£ million 
  



1992-93 
  

42.6 
  

33.5 
  

83.4 
  



1993-94 
  

47.4 
  

38.9 
  

90.2 
  



1994-95 
  

58.3 
  

37.2 
  

120.4 
  



1995-96 
  

61.6 
  

73.0 
  

102.6 
  



1996-97 
  

54.2 
  

48.0 
  

109.3 
  



1997-98 
  

50.8 
  

28.3 
  

68.2 
  



1998-99 
  

66.8 
  

22.0 
  

76.5 
  



1999-2000 
  

95.7 
  

11.6 
  

94.9 
  



2000-01 
  

108.4 
  

7.8 
  

50.6

Housing

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much private investment it estimates will be attracted in real terms in each year from 2001-02 to 2003-04 by (a) housing associations or co-ops for rented housing, (b) housing associations or co-ops for low cost home ownership, and (c) other housing providers grant-funded by Communities Scotland.

Iain Gray: The following table sets out, in 2000-01 real terms, the private finance expected to be committed to projects approved in 2001-02. No estimates are available beyond this.

  


Year 
  

Housing associations or co-ops for rented 
  housing 
  

Housing associations or co-ops for low cost 
  home ownership 
  

Other housing providers grant-funded by 
  Communities Scotland 
  


 

£ million 
  

£ million 
  

£ million 
  



2001-02 
  

100.01


8.41


9.31




  Note:

  1. Estimates.

Justice

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the average fine of £313 for drink-driving offences acts as a deterrent.

Mr Jim Wallace: It is for the courts to determine the appropriate sentence taking into account the circumstances of each individual case. The maximum penalties available for drink driving are a fine of up to £5,000 and/or imprisonment for up to six months. Convicted drivers are also liable to mandatory disqualification for at least 12 months (the average in 2000 being 22 months). The combination of these sanctions – particularly disqualification – does make for a significant deterrent.

NHS Spending

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much each health board has spent on computer network software licences in the current year.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally.

NHS Waiting Times

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for a hearing test, broken down by health board area.

Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not available centrally. Information on waiting times for a first out-patient appointment with a consultant, following referral, is collected at specialty level only.

Prison Service

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many social workers provided social work services within prisons; what the distribution of these social workers was between prisons, and what the ratio of social workers to prisoners was in (i) 1998-99, (ii) 1999-2000, (iii) 2000-01 and (iv) to date in the current financial year.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The available information is as follows:

  


Establishment 
  

No. of Social Workers as at 30 November 
  2001 
  

Ratio of Social Workers to Prisoners as 
  at 30 November 2001 
  



Aberdeen 
  

3 
  

1:67.3 
  



Barlinnie 
  

11 
  

1:96.5 
  



Castle Huntly 
  

2 
  

1:65.0 
  



Cornton Vale 
  

3.5 
  

1:75.7 
  



Dumfries 
  

1.5 
  

1:80.0 
  



Edinburgh 
  

5 
  

1:125.2 
  



Greenock 
  

3.5 
  

1:90.9 
  



Inverness 
  

2 
  

1:59.5 
  



Low Moss 
  

2 
  

1:168.5 
  



Noranside 
  

2 
  

1:56.0 
  



Perth 
  

6 
  

1:79.7 
  



Peterhead 
  

5 
  

1:57.8 
  



Shotts 
  

6.5 
  

1:78.8 
  



  This information in previous years is not readily available and could not be collected except at disproportionate cost.

Prison Service

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the ratio of prisoners to general practitioners was in each prison in (a) 1998-99, (b) 1999-2000 and (c) 2000-01.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-20320 on 18 December 2001.

Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Bill

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received a request from the Scottish Gamekeepers Association for a meeting with the Minister for Environment and Rural Development to discuss the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Bill prior to the Stage 3 debate on the Bill, and, if so, whether the minister will grant such a request.

Allan Wilson: A request from the Scottish Gamekeepers Association for a meeting with officials was made in November and that meeting took place on 13 December. The association subsequently asked whether I could attend that meeting also but other engagements prevented me from doing so. I have, however, asked officials to report the discussions of that meeting to me.

Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Bill

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will meet representatives of the Scottish Hill Packs Association to discuss the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Bill prior to the Stage 3 debate on the Bill.

Allan Wilson: I have no plans to meet with the Scottish Hill Packs Association, nor have I been asked by them to do so.

Residential Care

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it has made available to (a) Dumfries and Galloway and (b) Borders Council to offset any increase in registration fees for residential care homes and whether such funding has been ring-fenced.

Malcolm Chisholm: The new Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care will take over responsibility for registering and inspecting care homes from 1 April 2002. In calculating the transfer of resources from the local government settlement to the new commission, account was taken of residual and additional costs to local authorities, including for registration fees.

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether BEAR Scotland Ltd have been in breach of their obligations in respect of their duties in relation to the trunk road network.

Lewis Macdonald: BEAR’s contract is complex and detailed and minor breaches will inevitably occur. However, there are set procedures for rectification of more serious failures. The first step of this procedure is to issue a default notice to BEAR to ensure the level of service is maintained.

Roads

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the contract with BEAR Scotland Ltd need to be reviewed and what penalties the Executive would incur should it decide to cancel the contract on the grounds of non-performance by BEAR Scotland Ltd.

Lewis Macdonald: The contracts with BEAR Scotland Ltd have been awarded for a period of five to seven years and do not need to be reviewed. The contractual performance of the Operating Companies on all four contracts is monitored on an on-going basis by Halcrow in association with PricewaterhouseCoopers (the Performance Audit Group) and the Scottish Executive. There are a range of corrective measures and financial sanctions within the contracts which the Scottish Executive can consider in the event of unsatisfactory performance by the Operating Company. Having exhausted these, the Scottish Executive can terminate the contract if serious non-performance continues to be identified. Costs would be incurred in relation to securing a new Operating Company.

Roads

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, for the period 7 to 9 November 2001, it will give details of the daily records of winter maintenance on trunk roads in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire that BEAR Scotland Ltd is required to keep under section 3.3 of Schedule 7, Part 2 of the Term Contract for Management and Maintenance of the Scottish Trunk Road Network in respect of (a) treatment records, (b) trunk road blockages giving lengths and times, (c) ice detection records, (d) weather forecasts and actual weather experienced, (e) accidents resulting from winter conditions, (f) response times achieved, (g) complaints by members of the public and trunk road users and the action taken, (h) constructional plant and equipment downtime and software faults, (i) quantities of de-icing materials used in stock and on order for each depot, (j) constructional plant and equipment deployment records and driver/operator logs, (k) output from gritter on-board data loggers and (l) salting decisions.

Lewis Macdonald: It would be excessively time consuming and costly to obtain information from the Operating Companies at the level of detail requested, but I have undertaken to publish a report by the Performance Audit Group on the first year of operation of the new contracts in line with the recommendation of the Auditor General.

Schools

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has to apply for EU subsidy for school milk for secondary school children and how much any such subsidy could be in total.

Ross Finnie: £1.2 million was paid in EC school milk subsidy to primary schools in Scotland in year ended August 2001. The UK has member state discretionary powers to apply for subsidy under the EC School Milk Subsidy Scheme in respect of schoolchildren in secondary schools. It is not possible to give accurate figures on how much subsidy could be paid as this would depend on take-up levels of the scheme both by education authorities and individual schools. However, 100% take-up by secondary schools in Scotland could result in an estimated total subsidy of £2.5 million.

Scottish Executive Consultation

David McLetchie (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is its policy to publish responses to its consultations.

Mr Andy Kerr: It is Scottish Executive policy to lodge a copy of all responses to consultation papers (apart from any marked "confidential") with the Scottish Executive library for public access.

Scottish Natural Heritage

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) complaints procedures are available to the public and (b) disciplinary procedures are in place in respect of members of staff at Scottish Natural Heritage.

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre a copy of any (a) code of conduct and (b) complaints procedures that relate to staff of Scottish Natural Heritage.

Allan Wilson: Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) publishes its complaints procedure as part of its Natural Standards Charter and is available to the public on the SNH Website (www.snh.org.uk) or on request from SNH.

  Disciplinary procedures for staff members are in place as part of the SNH Code of Conduct.

  Copies of the Natural Standards Charter and the SNH Code of Conduct have been placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. numbers 18069 and 18070).

Vehicle Licensing

Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications will be for the police and the courts of prosecuting motorists who have displayed Scottish national symbols on vehicle registration plates and whether it is aware of any guidance issued to the police and the courts on this matter in advance of the outcome of the consultation by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

Mr Jim Wallace: We are not aware of any direct implications for the police or courts in connection with this matter. The Scottish Executive has not issued any guidance along the lines described.